I am Ashley Elsdon

someone who's doing some things

Category: Music

Music is a huge part of my life so it’s almost certain that this category will have a lot of stuff in it.

MIDI experiments

Posted by on in Music, Tech

For some reason I got it into my head that I should attempt to get a old Palm OS PDA to output MIDI into my Yamaha MU15 tone module and then record that using an iPhone 3G and Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer.

Well first off it didn’t work at all. I tried multiple Palm cradles, MIDI cables and was about to give up until I decided to try a different old PDA. Guess what? It worked first time. That is to say that it worked in terms of getting MIDI out of the PDA and into the MU15. After that the iPhone/MIDI mobilizer combo didn’t want to record from the MIDI out. The MU15 doesn’t have a thru port so I doubt I can get around that.

Anyway, the 2nd PDA was a success, but I still don’t know what the first one (a TRG Pro) stubbornly refuses to put MIDI through it’s serial port. I guess I’ll just have to do some research on it, but it’s not like it’s something I can contact the manufacturer about is it!

Just so you know, the TRG Pro is the grey device and the black one is the IIIxe which actually works.

Back to bleep!BOX

Posted by on in Mobile Applications, Music

I remember when bleep!BOX first came out. It was completely amazing. 4 mono synths, and 6 drum synths all in your iPhone. Wow!

So I decided to go back to it yesterday and see if I could make something and actually finish it this time, and apart from being quite surprised that I could still remember my way around on the whole I got something started which I’m really quite pleased with. It isn’t finished as yet, maybe I’ll wrap it up next week, but so far I think it’s pretty good.

And even though this app’s been around in iOS world for quite some time I still think it is pretty amazing and full of possibilities.

bleep!BOX - White Noise Audio Software

Thingamagoop and the Monotrons

Posted by on in Music, Tech

That would be a good name for a band wouldn’t it? Anyway, I plugged my Thingamagoop 2 into my original Monotron aux and that into my new Monotron Delay. How much more fun can you have?

Anyway, I’ve recorded the noises and I’m going to do some manipulating with them, so you can expect the end result up on SoundCloud soon enough.

Cryptoclash

Posted by on in Mobile Applications, Music

As this is a Nic Collins app I thought I’d give it a go, but so far I’m not sure it lives up to his previous creations, which have been excellent and truly innovative.

Perhaps I just need to give it a bit more time?

Cryptoclash - Nicholas Collins

That Tweakybeat screen

Posted by on in Mobile Applications, Music

I really do like tweakybeat, and one of the reasons that isn’t obvious is that it is really straightforward and simple to use. The interface is completely no nonsense.

If you don’t know it, then you should.

I wish I could build a drum machine like this.

Nanoloop work in progress

Posted by on in Mobile Applications, Music

Another work in progress piece. I find it interesting that different music apps make you work in different ways and inspire different musical styles. I really should try doing something radically different with Nanoloop. Perhaps with the next track.